Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) has teamed up with Swedish star Dolph Lundgren to showcase the ultimate in excavator endurance in stunt-filled mini-movie Pump It Up and coming soon to Free Car Mag as we were lucky enough to interview the great man and ask him about trucks, excavators, Hollywood and Christmas.

Revealing the toughness, versatility and intelligent engineering behind Volvo CE’s full range of excavators, the film tests the limits of heavy equipment during an exhilarating and entertaining army bootcamp, led by drill instructor Dolph Lundgren. The 80s powerhouse behind films including Rocky IV, Universal Soldier and The Expendables drives the action in a cinematic display of man against machine.

In the film – a comic nod to the action movies that Dolph Lundgren is renowned for – a line-up of Volvo excavators weighing between 1.5 to 95 tons are put through their paces in an exhausting assault course.

During a series of extraordinary stunts, the machines are seen pulling Dolph Lundgren atop a huge concrete block across an unknown desert location, flipping gigantic tires across a muddy track and taking part in what is thought to be the world’s first ever excavator pull-up – fulfilling the film’s final message that they really are ‘excavators for any challenge’. All of this is set to the iconic beat of the 1989 hit song ‘Pump up the Jam’ by Belgian music group Technotronic.

Dolph Lundgren has starred in major Hollywood productions for more than 30 years and is currently enjoying a surge in popularity thanks to leading roles in new Hollywood blockbusters Creed II and Aquaman, both out later this year. With a background in engineering and a scholarship to the renowned US university MIT, he is well matched against the brains and brawn of Volvo’s excavator range.

He said: “This job was probably the most unusual role I’ve ever taken on. It was fascinating to see Volvo’s excavators and its skilled operators performing all the various physical exercises – with absolutely no movie stunts involved. Honestly, I didn’t think it was even possible. Being born in Sweden, I have a long relationship with this classic Swedish brand. As a young boy, I rode in the back of my dad’s Volvo. To me, Volvo represents some great Scandinavian values, like clean design, excellent quality and a true care for the environment. I’m really pleased to get this opportunity for us to work together.”

Find out even more about Dolph Lungren in the December issue of Free Car Mag.